Electronic content, such as television content, can be provided to clients over the internet. Examples of television content provided over the internet can include static content, such as video-on-demand, that is pre-recorded. Providing television content over the internet can include digitally inserting other programming content, such as advertisements, into the television content. Digitally inserted programming content can be included with the static content during pre-defined breaks in the static content.
Providing television-style electronic content with digital program insertion (“DPI”) to streaming media can pose several challenges for content providers. One challenge can include targeting of DPI content, such as advertisements, to certain groups. For example, advertisers may target ads to specific demographics, such as males of ages 24-36. Such targeting may be further refined by region or geography. Furthermore, providers of online advertising content may seek to target narrowly defined groups based on tracking preferences of content subscribers.
A second challenge associated with DPI is scalability. Targeting DPI content can be difficult with respect to streaming media due to the need for individualizing requests for DPI content based on the preferences of single viewers or small groups of viewers. Individualizing requests for DPI content can place additional loads on systems managing the insertion of DPI content, thereby increasing the difficulty of scaling the systems to service large audiences.